From The Scoop: Annette Chester: Challenging Perspectives
From the September 22issue of Gemstone Publishing's The Scoop:
Knocking out at least a handful of stereotypes, Annette Chester might be considered a bit young to be a serious collector by some. In exploring her interests with her and talking about what brought her to collecting and keeps her in the game, though, it's clear that she's far more representative of mainstream collectors than one might initially think..
Born, March 24, 1980 in Washington, Pennsylvania, she said she has "almost always" accumulated "stuff," without a focus on any specific category. If her father or maternal grandfather had something she liked, a lot of times it would end up on a shelf in her bedroom. That, though, was just the start for her. Scoop talked with her about her collection, getting more young people into the hobby, and more
Scoop: What was the first item you remember buying and what were the circumstances (where, when, etc)?
Annette Chester (AC): I remember buying baseball cards when I was 11 or 12 years old, but the first piece I bought because I really wanted it occurred at an auction when I was 16. My grandfather (dad's dad) was auctioning off the contents of an estate, my dad was working the sale, and my other grandfather (mom's dad) and I were in the crowd. The big draw of the day was an original Malcolm Parcell painting, but I saw a pair of European hand colored etchings that I loved. It was the first time I ever bid on an item at auction, and I won the pair for $5.50.
My first real investment purchase was a couple of years ago. I was in an antique shop with my dad, a few showcases behind him, when I saw a fabulous Civil War era silver hair comb engraved with a war Eagle, thistle, and Dogwood flowers. It was a little bit out of my budget, so I passed on it, but I went home and thought about it all night. The next morning, I traded a few pieces from my stein collection to my dad for cash, and drove an hour and a half back to the shop to buy it. The best part of the story is that my dad, whose eyes are magnetically drawn to anything with eagles, missed the comb completely in his walk-through, and I paid substantially less than its value to make it a part of my collection.
Scoop: How long from the time you first bought your first item until you considered yourself a collector?
AC: I had a small collection of German steins in my late teens, so I suppose that was the first time I actively learned about a field of collecting and deliberately pursued a specific type of item.
Scoop: What were your early favorites?
AC: When I was little, I was exposed to antiques, from glassware to pottery to watches and so much more, and I have always loved antique furniture (but really, no twelve year old has a budget for that). In my early teens I messed around with baseball cards and miniatures, and in my later teens I collected German steins. Today I like a really wide mix of things. I have a small collection of Louisville Slugger bats, American political pieces, antique and estate jewelry, new artist-signed Native American jewelry, old books, and some related Americana. I really just like unique and interesting items that have some kind of history behind them, and I would much rather have a small, quality collection than a big problem-ridden collection.
Scoop: You already mentioned some other collectors. Who collects what in your family?
AC: Most of the family collects something or another, so it was never really a question of "if" I would collect, but rather "what" I could collect.
Scoop: Did any of your family members collect? If so, what?
AC: Dad's side:
Great-grandmother: dolls and Victorian glassware
Grandfather (auctioneer): John Deere everything and assorted auction finds
Dad: Americana - pottery, stoneware, scrimshaw, furniture, glassware, treen and woodenware, Native American pottery and blankets/rugs
Mom's side:
Grandmother: vintage and antique Demitasse cups & saucers
Grandfather: bitters bottles & flasks, military medals, wristwatches, jewelry, scrimshaw, Native American artifacts
Mom: Native American pottery
Brother (22 years old): wrist watches and jewelry
I know that I am at least the fourth generation (on my dad's side). My great-grandparents collected and were antique dealers, my grandfather has been an auctioneer since the 1960's, my dad has been a collector and dealer for most of his life, and my brother and I were exposed to it all before we were tall enough to see over the tables at local flea markets. We spent a lot of time with mom's parents while we were growing up, and our Saturday routine revolved around shopping local flea markets for jewelry, watches, or anything of interest.
Scoop: Did you drift away from collecting at any point, or did you stick with it as you grew up?
AC: I did drift away from collecting while I was in college working on my Bachelor's degree, but it was more of a time issue than a lack of interest. I was a full-time student, I worked in the campus student union nights and weekends, and I was very active in campus activities and organizations, so if the choice were "flea market/auction/antique show or sleep", sleep inevitably won out.
Scoop: Do you see the hobby falling to the wayside in the future as some might believe or do you see new collectors coming in and taking their place over time?
AC: Of the "young" people that I know personally who are involved in both collecting and selling antiques or collectibles, all of us were exposed to collecting through our parents or grandparents. A year ago, I would have said that there aren't enough of us to keep things interesting, but there has really been a surge in the number of young people out at the shows (Brimfield, for example) lately who are looking for great items. Some are collecting things they remember older family members collecting while they were growing up, and some have found their own obsessions in collecting.
I think people have a natural tendency to desire reminders of their past - whether it be through sports memorabilia or Star Wars collectibles or items they remember from grandma and grandpa's house - so while the markets may change, it doesn't mean gloom and doom for collecting. For example, a lot of younger people are seeking out early 20th century furniture, glassware, and pottery; this isn't unreasonable, since most young people can't afford original Chippendale highboys, but they can afford a Mission oak dining room set. A big draw to collecting, though, is that people are re-discovering it as a treasure hunt type of adventure and a social way to spend a hard-earned day off from work. When you head out in the morning, you don't know who you will meet or what you will be find, but your hopes will almost always be fulfilled, if not exceeded.
Scoop: Do you find that people treat you differently due to your age and your advanced interests?
AC: The treatment that I receive is two-fold. I look younger than I am, and sadly there are a lot of people who equate "young" with "stupid" and, unfortunately, "thief." I refuse to even entertain those who choose to believe the latter to the point where I will not even look at the merchandise of a dealer who has at any time previously treated me as if I am worthy of suspicion. Plus, I have a pretty broad general knowledge of antiques and collectibles (and history and politics), so most people change from condescension to approval and enthusiasm after taking a little bit of time to speak with me. Sadly, there are still some long-time collectors who have not yet realized that their lack of acceptance of younger collectors - and their unwillingness to share their hard-earned knowledge - means that the knowledge will die with them.
I have been very fortunate to meet people who are happy to have someone young to educate about their passions, from glassware to pocket watches to political buttons (and every topic in between), and not only am I honored to be the recipient of that information, but I do my best to try to ignite the "collector" bug in other people I know and meet.
One of my favorite moments as an antique dealer/collector took place last June at Bouckville, New York. I was explaining to a young couple some basic tips on estimating the age of German steins when the guy looked up at me and said, "Have I seen you on Antiques Roadshow?" When I laughed and replied that he had not, he asked, "Are you sure you're not one of those appraisers?" It is flattering to be taken seriously despite my "youth," and it is rewarding to be able to share what I know with people who really appreciate the information.
Scoop: Do you think that items once collected that lose their original collector base and owners will still see interest in the future or will they fade away?
AC: I think everything moves in cycles. Those things most in demand today are probably out of the budget range of the average new collector, so new collectors must seek out different areas that are accessible. Collecting is almost like an addiction, though, and while it seems reasonable that items on the down side of the cycle can fall by the way-side, a lot of times it is those pieces - rare, unusual, historical, or otherwise different - that pique the interests of collectors being sucked deeper into a field of collecting.
There are some areas that will always been in demand - Disney, for example - but there has been enough Disney memorabilia produced in the last 80 years or so that anyone can afford to start a Disney collection.
Collecting is also a logistics thing, though. There are only so many pieces of furniture or large pieces of advertising that a person can accumulate before there is only room for "smalls" (or, in the case of young collectors, there is only so much space in a starter home or apartment, and smalls are the more appropriate focus). But part of collecting is the search for the needle in the haystack (or the unicorn, or the grail, or whatever comparison you like), so even the things that have no interest today have a good chance at revitalization in the future.
Scoop: Do you think the female demographic is lacking in the hobby? If so do you have any thoughts as to how this could change?
AC: I think a lot of women tend to view collecting as a means of decorating, so, with respect to collecting as a result of a passion for the item, there is a distinct lack of females (with the exceptions of maybe jewelry or vintage clothing). There are very few single women who trade in antiques and collectibles, and many young women do not make the distinction between buying a cheap piece to decorate and buying a quality decorator piece as an investment.
I have some issues with television shows relating to collecting, but I do think the benefit of such shows (like Antiques Roadshow and Cash in the Attic) is that they demonstrate to people - male and female alike - that acquiring "junk" can be exciting, interesting, and a legitimate means of investing in the future and decorating at the same time. I just don't know how to make collecting really interesting for females in general, though. I had it in my blood, so sometimes my enthusiasm for cool old stuff is seen as a completely different culture from typical femaledom.
Scoop: What people do you look up to as role models or mentors in the hobby?
AC: I have made some really great friends in the past three years who are always willing to pull me aside and draw my attention to things they believe are worth knowing, but my dad has probably been the most influential. For as far back as I can remember, he has been reading every antiques and collectibles publication he has time for, and he is by no means stingy with his knowledge (the problem: his memory is photographic, and mine is not, so I don't retain nearly as much as he imparts). When I was seven or eight years old, I remember him reading a book on pottery, and when I asked him to teach me something, he drew out the stamp for Rookwood pottery. I have never forgotten it.
I haven't actually ever met them, but I also admire Leigh and Leslie Keno. Every time I see them on television, their enthusiasm for great old "stuff" is evident. They started out (young) much more focused and ambitious than I have, but they have managed to take a love of old things and turn it into lucrative, rewarding, and exciting careers.
Scoop: How did your collecting develop over the years?
AC: Slowly. To be honest, I am a true nerd, and I really like to understand something before I trust myself to jump in feet-first. Collecting is such a wide-open concept, especially when I'd rather know everything about everything than everything about one thing, and I have struggled to accept that I won't ever know it all. It also took me a long time to realize that I should love whatever it is that I am putting in my collection. I am at a really good place now, though, where I am okay just acquiring really cool "stuff" without placing boundaries on myself and my interests.
Scoop: Compare what excited you about early on to what excites you now. Is it the same thing?
AC: I think when I was younger, collecting was a way to actively take part in the flea markets and antique shows that my brother and I attended with my dad and grandparents (mom's parents). It didn't really matter what I was collecting - as long as I collected something, I had a mission at the shows.
Now, I thrive on history. Political pieces bring a tangible reality to the things I've read about in books. When I think about the tools used 150 years ago, or the people who may have handled items that I now own, or how something fragile could possibly have survived intact over many generations, it makes history relevant - something that I failed to get from my 19+ years of formal schooling.
Scoop: What got you interested in your various other areas of collecting?
AC: Every year I pick a new area or two of collecting to study (just by chance, not by any specific method). Mostly, though, it depends on what I come across at antique shows and what is going on in my life at the time. For example, I have Bachelor and Master's degrees in Public Administration, and I have done some independent research into the American Presidency and American history, so it seems natural to me to seek out politically related items that bring the history or the era alive.
I don't really know how I ended up collecting jewelry. I have always been around it, and I love it, but I don't wear it. I suppose I am awed by craftsmanship, especially since I am not particularly talented in that area myself.
Scoop: How do you determine what you are going to collect?
AC: If it's fun, unusual, or otherwise interesting and within my budget, I buy it. Sometimes it takes me a while to get together two similar pieces to constitute a "collection", but I would rather have a few quality pieces that I love as opposed to a bunch of lower-quality pieces that I would need to upgrade.
Scoop: What items are you currently looking for?
AC: My eyes are always open for [unusual, hand-carved] cameos and other antique jewelry, political or history books from the 19th century (especially about the Pittsburgh area), and unusual political pieces. Because I have a student budget, I am generally not able to find anything pre-Civil War, but the beauty of the business is that I never know what I am going to find, and I definitely appreciate great pieces whether I can afford them or not.
Scoop: What are you favorite pieces in your collection?
AC: Civil War era silver hair comb with etched War Eagle, thistle, and Dogwood flowers - my first real find, Presidential Inauguration "No Parking" sign from 1969 - not the most valuable piece, but owning it has a fun ring of "civil disobedience" about it, especially since it was Nixon's inauguration. Cameo depicting Phoenix rising from the Ashes - Victorian era, probably English, signed, unusual material, and atypically mounted in wrapped gold wire (as opposed to gold fill, which would have been the expected material)
Scoop: What are you collecting at the moment? Have you starting collecting any new areas?
AC: This year I am studying prints and etchings. I hope to come across some original political cartoons, but lately I have been putting together a collection of etchings, prints, and photographs of American political leaders.
Scoop: What are the highlights of you Americana and Political Americana collecting?
AC: Not really a highlight, but unlike most political collectors, I do not collect political buttons. If I came across an unusual button at the right price, I might buy it for resale, but I would rather have campaign memorabilia or honoraria.
Scoop: How do you see collecting in regards to history and keeping history alive?
AC: I can't think of a better way to show respect for the past than by appreciating relics of the time. No matter what you collect, that item in some way tells a story about the people, the technology, and the creativity of the time. There comes a point, not too long after beginning a collection, that you want to know the who, what, where, when, why, and how of each item you have and, more than that, of the items you haven't found yet but you know are out there.
Scoop: Do you have any stories about the one that got away?
AC: Three or four years ago I was at an auction, and saw a Victorian revolving bookshelf that was in perfect condition and I absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, I sometimes take too long convincing myself to spend money, so bidding was closed before I could talk myself into it.
Scoop: Do you have any specific items or collectibles that you have sold that you wish you had kept?
AC: Not really. I keep the good stuff, but I get tired of looking at marginal things after a while, so at that point I'm usually glad to have them go.
Scoop: In your opinion what do you find the most rewarding about collecting?
AC: I love talking to people who are enthusiastic about what they collect. I learn much better from speaking with people as opposed to reading, and collectors have so much to teach about their chosen obsessions (plus, talking is like the Readers Digest Condensed Book version of reading).
Scoop: What advice do you have for people interested in collecting?
AC: Do it! Remember that, whatever you choose to collect, you will have to look at it for a long time, so pick something you love. Be prepared to make a mistake every now and then, but those mistakes will teach you more than your successes. Use collecting as an excuse to travel - there are trade shows and flea markets all over the U.S., and incorporating any trip into a treasure hunt only adds to the experience. Finally, you do not have to be rich to put together a good collection - only diligent. The best part of collecting is, after a thousand miles of walking at flea markets, yard sales, and antique shows, finding a "sleeper" laying on a table, ignored by everyone but you, with a price tag of $10.
Looking ahead 5 to 10 years what are the biggest challenges that the collecting community faces? What are the greatest opportunities?
Right now a lot of really good items are already held in collections, and what is out there is pricey, so particular collectors who would prefer to have a few good pieces rather than a lot of entry-level pieces may go for long periods of time before finding the right items for their collections.
I do believe this is a really great time to be a collector, though, because older collectors on the upper edge of the baby boomer generation are starting to thin out their collections, so the potential for some really great stuff coming out into the market exists. Also, a lot of things that we grew up with (especially toys) are not really collected yet, so there is a great opportunity here to get in ahead of the curve.
Scoop: What advice would you give to people who are looking to start collecting?
AC: Don't be intimidated and remember your manners. Collecting is so rewarding when you find something you love, but because we are young we are held to a sometimes-unfair standard by older dealers (and even industry publications!). They are upset because we are not out in big numbers, but those of us who are out there are perceived as stupid or collecting stupid things. When we do know a lot about our chosen field of collecting, we are perceived as being arrogant and presuming we know everything. Being well mannered does not fix the problems, but it makes things a little bit smoother when talking with difficult dealers, and it makes it easier to shake off their rude behavior when you move on to the next booth.
Scoop: What opportunities do you see for future collectors?
AC: The sky is the limit. Collections are amassed in every conceivable area, from the most ancient of antiquities to today's entertainment ephemera. I don't think it unreasonable that, within the next 25 years, original "mint in case" compact discs or early computer software, among other common modern-day items, will be collectible. Even Tupperware has a place in some collectors' hearts. It's only a matter of deciding what makes the hunt exciting for collectors.
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